tinderbox

/ˌtɪndərˈbɑks/
IPA guide

Other forms: tinderboxes

Definitions of tinderbox
  1. noun
    a box for holding tinder
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    type of:
    box
    a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
  2. noun
    a dangerous state of affairs; a situation that is a potential source of violence
    “the Balkans are the tinderbox of Europe”
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    type of:
    situation
    a complex or critical or unusual difficulty
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